Scaffold caster



L. A: REINER June 3, 1947.

SCAFFOLD CASTER Original Filed April 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zhwentor Z60 fi. Fe 6 (Ittornegs June 3, 1947. L. A REINER scAFFbLD CASTER Original Filed April 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Cttorncgls Patented June 3, 1947 2,421,464 SCAFFOLD CASTER Leo A. Reiner, Detroit, Mich.

Original application April 30, 1942, Serial No.

441,080, now Patent No. 2,359,583, dated Octoher 3, 1944. Divided and this application February 18, 1944, Serial No. 522,909

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to scaffolds, and more particularly to scaffolds formed of detachable units, with casters on the lowermost scaffold unit. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 441,080, filed April 30, 1942, now Patent No. 2,359,583, dated October 3, 1944.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a scaffold of the above-mentioned type with a caster for the lower scafiold unit to facilitate the easy transportation of the scaifold in its assembled form to various locations.

Another object of the invention, is to provide a scaffold structure formed of a series of units demountably connected which units are constructed of tubular material so that the joints may be easily assembled during erection in a minimum amount of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scaffold of the under pass type to allow for the passage of workmen and building construction materials by arranging the units in spaced relation and connecting the units by detachable truss rods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scaffold formed of a series of spaced units held in position by truss rods which have their ends detachably connected to threaded studs welded to the units by securing a double ended threaded member to the threaded stud so that the threaded member may be reversed if desired to provide a relatively long and short stud member for receiving the truss rods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a demountable sectional scaffold having caster supports which may be locked against movement by brake devices so that the swinging movement of the caster relative to the sectional unit may be prevented as well as the caster itself.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the scaffold unit embodying the invention, of the underpass type, illustrating the manner in which the casters are arranged on the lowermost scaffold unit;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same showing themanner in which the units are separably connected and further illustrating the caster members affixed to one of the vertical standards of the scaifold;

' Figure 3 is a top plan view of the caster support for being attached to the lower ends of the scaffold unit shown in Figures 1 and 2, illustrating 2 the brake lock for preventing rotational movement of the caster; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating the caster brake and the manual operator therefor.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustrating the invention like reference characters will be employed to designate like parts throughout, the reference character l0 will generally be employed to designate a. scafi'old unit including vertical standards H connected at the top by a horizontal bar l2 the ends of which are provided with sleeves l3 for receiving a portion of the free upper end of the vertical standard I I. The horizontal bar I2 is welded or otherwise secured at its ends to the sleeves l3 and a parallel base bar l4 likewise has its ends connected to tubular stock l5 welded to the sleeves l3 as clearly shown in Figure 1. Brace bars !6 have their lower ends bevelled for being attached as by means of welding to the vertical standards H and have their upper ends welded as at I I to the juncture of the tubular brace bars I and I5. An intermediate brace l8 supports the hori- Zontal bars and holds them in spaced relation.

Each of the units above described is preferably formed of tubular stock welded at the joints to provide a relatively rigid frame unit capable of supporting excessive weight and load as well as stresses and strains. It is intended to provide a series of such units arranged in superposed side by side relation for being connected in parallelism by means of diagonal truss rods 19 and horizontal connecting rods 20 (Figure 2). The free ends of the truss rods l9 and 20 are detachably connected to studs 2| including a threaded member as shown in Figure 1 welded or otherwise secured to thevertical standards I l adjacent the ends thereof, there being one stud 2! provided for the lower end of each diagonal truss bar and a threaded stud member for attachment with the upper ends of the diagonal truss bars as well as the ends of the horizontal bars 20. member 2| is threaded as at 22 for receiving a double ended bolt 23 having a relatively shortened end'24 and an opposed end 25 of a greater length so that the double ended bolt 23 may be reversed depending upon whether the bolt is used for anchoring the lower ends of the truss rods or the upper ends, in which case it would be necessary to employ the threaded portion of the nut having a greater length as at 25. After the ends of the truss rods [9 have been placed upon the double ended bolt, a wing nut 26 is threaded thereon to securely hold the truss rods in posi Each stud 3 tion. The free ends of the truss rods I9 and 20 are flattened as at 2'5 to facilitate the easy attachment of said ends to the double ended bolt.

It is to be noted that the tubular connecting elements l3 extend well above the horizontal connecting bar l2 as at 28 for receiving the lower end of a superposed unit as shown in Figures 1 and 2. It is proposed to construct each scaffold unit l so that the connecting sleeves 28 will receive the lower end of a superposed scaiiold unit and thereby support the same so that the units may be quickly and easily demounted or assembled at different locations of construction.

A runway formed of planking .38 may be sup ported by the horizontal connecting bars 12 and an additional runway portion or support may be provided and comprises a triangular frame unit including a horizontal bar 31 connected to a vertical supporting bar 32 by being welded or the like thereto as at 33. A brace bar 34 has its lower end connected to the vertical bar as at 35 by welding or the like while the upper e d is .connected to the horizontal bar 3| by means of a weld joint 35. The extreme free end of the brace bar 34 is extended as at 31 .to provide a limiting stop for additional planking or runway boards 38 supported by the horizontal bar 3|. The upper and lower portions of the vertical bar 32 are provided with brackets 39 and 6B for gripping one of the vertical standards I0. A complementary strap portion 44 has one of its ends as at 4'5 keyed in a slot in the bracket 39 while its opposite end terminates in a strap portion 46 complementary with the strap portion 42. A depending horizontal connecting bar and bracing portion 4'? depends from the strap portion 46 and a bolt 48 is provided for clamping the parts 4! and :32 about the sleeve l3 while the depending portions 43 and M embrace the end of the horizontal connecting bar l2.

The lower bracket 49 is formed with a strap portion similar to the strap portion 4| and a clamping strap 49 is keyed therein and is anchored to the free end of the bracket strap by means of a bolt or the like as at 50.

Certain scaffold units are provided with ladders generally designated as at and said ladders include stiles 52 connected by a series of spaced rounds 53. Each ladder unit 5| is of substantially the same length as the scaffold unit so that when the scaffold units are coupled in superposed relation the ladder units 5! will be coextensively arranged. The ladders are attached to the scafiold units by means of horizontal bars 54 carrying intermediate brackets 5'5 provided with collars 56 for being telescopically received on the upper ends 28 of the sleeves l3. The collars 56 are slightly larger in diameter than their corresponding sleeves so that the collars will fit snugly thereon. The lower end of each ladder unit carries a pair of spaced horizontal bars 58 to which is attached a bracket 59 having an arcuately curved clamping strap 60 to which is attached a cooperating clamping strap 6| keyed thereto as at 62. The free ends of the clamping straps 60 and 6! as at 62 and 63 respectively are drawn together by means of a bolt 64 so that the lower end of the ladder unit will be supported in a rigid manner and will be prevented from rotation about the axis of the vertical standard I i.

It is intended to provide each leg of the lower scaifold units Ill with swinging casters 6t and said casters are each provided with a casing 66 having a tubular extension 61 for receiving the lower ends of the vertical standards H. There being two caster units provided for each scaffold unit and since all of said casters are identical only one will be described in detail. By reference to Figures 3 and 4 wherein is shown one of the casters in detail, it is to be noted that the tubular extension 61 is provided with a central bore .68 for receiving an internally threaded boss '69 formed integral with the housing 65. The lower portion of the tubular extension 61 is annularly flanged as at TE) and is provided with a series or notches or the like H for receiving a locking element which will be hereinafter more fully described. A recess Ha is formed in the underface of the annular flange l0 and is adapted to receive a ball race E2 so that the tubular extension 61 may be supported on anti-friction bearings 13 rolling in a ball race 14 received in a recess 15 of the casing 55. An anchoring bolt i6 is threaded in the internally threaded boss 59 and the head thereof as at Tl abuts a Washer 78 which overlies the floor of the tubular extension to prevent displacement and separation thereof from the casing 65. The casing is provided with a relatively flat top wall 7-9 on which is positioned a cam 80 secured in place by means :of a bolt 8! extending through the eccent-rically formed opening v62 in the cam so that rotation thereof 1' means of a manual operating lever 83 will move the lever 84 toward and away f m the annular flange T0. The locking lever 84 is pivoted to the relatively flat wall T9 as at '85 so that the free end will be interposed between the cam st and the annular flange 10. A bolt portion 86 is formed on the free end of the pivoted lever 84 and is curved to fit the contour of the notches 'II in the annular flange 10.

A boot 81 is formed on the housing 66 and is provided with oppositely disposed bearings .88 for receiving a stub axle 89 upon which is rotatably mounted .a caster wheel 9h. The rear portion of the boot i1 is offset as at 9-! so that a shaft .92 may have its free ends journaled in the side walls of the boot. A brake element 93 is pivotally carried by the shaft 92 by means of a bearing portion 94 and formed integral with the bearing portion 9% is an operating armor extension 95 located in the path of acam '96 likewise mounted on asha-ft 9'! journaled in the side walls of the boot 8?. An operating lever 98 has its inner end provided with a collar $8 for being attached to the shaft 9'! and a stop pin me projects from the side wall of the boot 8'! to limit the movementof the operating lever 93 in one direction while a similar stop pin H3! mounted opposite the stop pin Hill limit the swinging movement of the brake operating lever 98 in theother direction. A coil spring N32 has one of its ends abutting the brake block .93 while the opposite end is received in a cavity formed in a screw threaded plug 103 threaded in a suitable opening 1-04 in the offset portion of the boot St. A lock nut I 95 is threaded on the plug 133 so that the plug may .be adjusted to increase or decrease tension on the coil spring m2 and then lock in position by the looking nut l 95.

It is to be understood that the ,form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subj oined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A caster, comprising a caster housing having side walls connected by end and top wall portions, a caster wheel axle extending between the side walls, a caster wheel rotatably mounted on said axle with a portion thereof received in said housing, a shaft extending between said side walls, a brake lever pivotally mounted on said shaft, a brake formed on one end of said lever for engaging the peripheral surface of the caster wheel, a rock shaft arranged in spaced parallel relation to said first-mentioned shaft and journaled in the side walls of said caster housing with one end projecting beyond one of said side walls, a cam disc eccentrically mounted on said rock shaft and secured thereto to turn with said shaft, said cam disc being arranged for engaging the opposed end of said brake lever, a manual control lever afilxed to said rock shaft to rotate said shaft and thereby move said brake shoe away from said caster wheel, and a coil spring interposed between said wall portion and brake shoe for yieldingly urging said brake shoe into frictional engagement with the peripheral surface of said caster wheel.

2. A caster, comprising a caster housing having side walls connected by end and top wall portions, a caster wheel axle extending between the side walls, a caster wheel rotatably mounted on said axle with a portion thereof received in said housing, a shaft extending between said side walls, a brake lever pivotally mounted on said shaft, a brake formed on one end of said lever for engaging the peripheral surface of the caster wheel, a rock shaft arranged-in spaced parallel relation to said first-mentioned shaft and journaled in the side Walls of said caster housing with one end projecting beyond one of said side walls, a cam disc eccentrically mounted on said rock shaft and secured thereto to turn with said shaft,

said cam disc being arranged for engagin the opposed end of said brake lever, a manual control lever affixed to said rock shaft to rotate said shaft and thereby move said brake shoe away from said caster wheel, a coil spring interposed between said wall portion and brake shoe for yieldingly urging said brake shoe into frictional engagement with the peripheral surface of said casting wheel, and a screw threaded plug threaded in an opening in said connecting wall portion having a recess in its inner end for receiving one end of said coil spring, the other end of said coil spring being arranged in abutting relation with the brake shoe whereby adjustment of said screwthreaded plug will increase or decrease the yielding pressure on said brake shoe.

LEO A. REINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,295,183 Perreault Sept. 8, 1942 1,905,626 Hershey .Apr. 25, 1933 1,879,376 Mclwinn- Sept. 27, 1932 2,262,433 Uecker et a1 Nov. 11, 1941 1,633,638 Jarbis et a1 June 28, 1927 301,434 Cyr July 1, 1884 2,138,433 Sunden Nov. 29, 1938 1,599,485 Perin Sept. 14, 1926 2,188,648 Bowrer Jan. 30, 1940 2,081,594 McIntosh May 25, 1937 2,345,442 Winter et a1 Mar. 28, 1944 

